Cap device and tether mechanism

ABSTRACT

A tether mechanism includes a rotating ring rotatably supported in a ring attachment portion formed along the outside edge of a fuel cap, a storage portion formed on the outside portion of the rotating ring, and a linkage member extendably and retractably portion disposed in the storage portion. The linkage member includes a stored portion integrally formed at one end of a linkage member body of elongated cord shape, and having a stretchable and contractable spring, and is extendable from and retractable into a storage bay by elastic deformation of the spring through force applied to the linkage member body in the lengthwise direction.

This application claims the benefit of and priority from Japanese Application No. 2006-262774 filed Sep. 27, 2006, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cap device equipped with a tether mechanism for linking a cap used to open and close a tank opening to a peripheral vehicle body member of the tank opening.

2. Description of the Related Art

A fuel cap is connected to a point in proximity to the fueling mouth of the fuel tank by elongated linkage member such as a tether, in order to prevent the fuel cap from becoming lost during fueling. Known technologies for tethered fuel caps of this kind are disclosed in JP-A 2000-233653 and JP-B 5-54452. However, if the tether becomes twisted due to turning of the fuel cap, it may hinder the opening and closing operation. Known designs that address this problem include a design in which the tether is wound around the peripheral portion of the fuel cap and a design in which the tether stows in a stowage chamber inside the vehicle.

However, in the technology disclosed in JP-A 2000-233653, the tether winding mechanism is complex, as well as a lack of versatility owing to the need to predetermine the cap closure location and the tether attachment location. The technology in JP-B 5-54452 is the need for appreciable space for installing the stowage chamber inside the vehicle.

SUMMARY

An advantage of some aspects of the invention is provided with a cap device that is not susceptible to twisting of the cord-like linkage member when the fuel cap is turned, and that has a simple design and excellent versatility.

According to an aspect of the invention, a cap device is equipped with a tether mechanism for linking a cap used to open and close a tank opening to a peripheral vehicle body member of the tank opening. The tether mechanism comprises: a rotating ring that is rotatably attached to a ring attachment portion formed along an outer circumference of the cap; a storage portion that is formed on an outside portion of the rotating ring, and has a storage bay; and a linkage member that has a cord-like flexible linkage member body with a first end and second end, a stored portion integrally formed at the first end and stored in the storage bay, and a vehicle body-supported end formed at the second end and connectable to the vehicle body member. The stored portion is configured to pay out the linkage member body from the storage bay, when force is applied to the linkage member body in a lengthwise direction of the linkage member body.

In the cap device pertaining to the present invention, when the linkage member is subjected to force exerted in the lengthwise direction during the operation of turning the cap in order to close the inlet, a rotating ring rotates with respect to the cover while the stored portion is released from a storage portion, so that the linkage member will not hinder the cap opening and closing operation.

When the cap is suspended from the side panel of the vehicle body, the stored portion of the linkage member will be released from the storage portion due to the weight of the cap and become suspended at a location away from the vehicle body, in which condition fueling can be carried out. That is, during fueling, the cap can be placed at a location away from the vehicle body, so as to not interfere with the fuel gun.

Furthermore, since the storage portion for the tether mechanism is provided to the rotating ring that is rotatably supported at the periphery of the cap, the design is simple as well. Moreover, since the stored portion of the linkage member is extendably and retractably disposed in a storage portion which is integrally formed with the rotating ring, the position at which the linkage member is released from the storage portion is not set, thus providing compatibility with various types of vehicles and exceptional versatility.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there can be employed an arrangement whereby the stored portion includes a stretching contracting portion that stretches and contracts within the storage portion due to force exerted in the lengthwise direction, and a fastener portion disposed to one end of the spring, and fastened to the storage portion. By means of this arrangement, the spring, due to its spring action, can be stretched by a low level of force in the lengthwise direction of the linkage member, as well as being reliably kept stored in the storage portion. Moreover, with the inlet closed, the stored portion of the linkage member is kept stored in the storage portion, and thus only a short section of the linkage member body remains exposed in proximity to the inlet, so as to not obstruct the proximity of the inlet.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, there can be employed an arrangement whereby the storage portion includes a storage portion-side stopper situated on the inside wall of the storage portion at the location of displacement of the stored portion; and the stored portion includes the stored portion-side stopper that comes into abutment against the storage portion-side stopper thereby restricting the stored portion from being released by more than a prescribed length from the storage portion. By means of this arrangement, through abutment of the stored portion-side stopper against the storage portion-side stopper the stored portion is restricted from being let out by more than a prescribed length from the storage portion, whereby the spring will not stretch excessively to the point of becoming damaged, nor will it interfere with other components.

The stored portion can be of a design formed with a non-circular cross section so as to restrict rotation thereof within the storage portion. By means of this design, the linkage member will not become twisted or tangled, making it easier to handle.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the stored portion, there can be employed an arrangement provided with a stored portion-side stopper of spherical shape that is moved through the storage portion by force exerted in the lengthwise direction. By means of this arrangement, since the spherical stored portion-side stopper can rotate within the storage portion, twisting of the linkage member body can be eliminated.

The rotating ring can be formed so as to be attachable to the ring attachment portion by elastic deformation of an arcuate section thereof where the storage portion is absent. This design can simplify the assembly procedure of the rotating ring and the tether mechanism.

These and other objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view depicting the back part of an automobile equipped with the cap device pertaining to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view depicting the fueling lid open.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view depicting part of the fuel cap installed in the filler pipe.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view depicting the fuel cap.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view depicting a tether mechanism.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view depicting the tether mechanism.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a tether mechanism pertaining to a second embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (1) General Structure of Cap Device

FIG. 1 is a perspective view depicting the rear of an automobile equipped with a cap device pertaining to a first embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 2 is a perspective view depicting the fueling lid open. A fueling bay 11 is formed in the rear of a vehicle body panel 10 shown in FIG. 1, with the opening of the bay 11 being covered by a fueling lid 12. The fueling lid 12 is attached so as to open and close via a hinge 13. An inlet 16 a of a filler pipe 16 that leads to a fuel tank (not shown) is positioned on the floor 11 a of the bay 11. A detachable fuel cap 20 provides closure to the inlet 16 a.

(2) Structure of Fuel Cap 20

FIG. 3 is a sectional view depicting a part of the fuel cap installed in the filler pipe. The fuel cap 20 has a casing 21 for attachment to the filler pipe 16; a cover 22 attached to a flange 21 b in the upper part of the casing 21; and a gasket GS installed on the upper part of the casing 21. A mating projection 21 a is formed on the outside edge of the casing 21. The mating projection 21 a mates with a mating rib 16 b provided to the filler pipe 16. Thus, by placing the fuel cap 20 in the inlet 16 a and turning it two or three times, the casing 21 will urge the gasket GS against the inside wall of the filler pipe 16 to provide a seal between the inside wall and the fuel cap 20. The cover 22 is of cup shape formed by an upper wall 23 having an operating portion 23 a adapted to a rotating operation while gripped by the fingers, and a side wall 24 of tubular shape extending from the outside edge of the upper wall 23.

(3) Design of Tether Mechanism 30

A tether mechanism 30 is attached to the cover 22. FIG. 4 is a perspective view depicting the fuel cap 20; and FIG. 5 is a perspective view depicting a tether mechanism 30. The tether mechanism 30 includes a ring attachment portion 25 (see FIG. 3) formed by a slot that extends along the outside edge of the cover 22; a rotating ring 32 rotatably installed in the ring attachment portion 25; a storage portion 34 integrally connected to the rotating ring 32; and a linkage member 36 disposed in the storage portion 34 so as to be partially extendable and retractable therein. These components are formed of soft material such as polyurethane (PUR) or thermoplastic elastomer (TPEE).

The rotating ring 32 depicted in FIG. 5 has an annular ring body 32 a; and projecting portions 32 b, 32 c formed on the inside edge of the ring body 32 a for reducing sliding friction between the lower surface and the ring attachment portion 25. The ring body 32 a has inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of the ring attachment portion 25, and is rotatably supported on the ring attachment portion 25 so as to be contractable in diameter by elastic deformation.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view depicting the tether mechanism. The storage portion 34 is formed in a section of the outside edge of the rotating ring 32, and accommodates the linkage member 36 so as to be partially extendable and retractable therein; it includes a stowage receptacle portion 34 a that forms a storage bay 34S, a stowage cover 34 b providing closure to the upper opening of the stowage receptacle portion 34 a, and a connecting portion 34 c that connects the stowage cover 34 b with the stowage receptacle portion 34 a. At a first end of the stowage receptacle portion 34 a there are formed a stowage opening 34 d that permits extension and retraction of the linkage member 36, and a storage portion-side stopper 34 e that detains the linkage member 36. On the floor at the other end of the stowage receptacle portion 34 a there is formed a fastening hole 34 f that permits insertion of a fastener pin 34 g projecting from the back face of the stowage cover 34 b.

The linkage member 36 has a linkage member body 37 of cord shape with circular cross section; a stored portion 38 integrally formed at a first end of the linkage member body 37; and a vehicle body supporting end 39 formed at the other end of the linkage member body 37. The stored portion 38 has a serpentine spring 38 a that is stretchable and contractable in the circumferential direction within the storage bay 34S so as to provide spring action; and a connecting portion 38 b of cord shape with a circular cross section connecting the spring 38 a with the linkage member body 37, and that is extendable from and retractable into the storage bay 34S. Between the spring 38 a and the connecting portion 38 b of the stored portion 38 there is formed a stored portion-side stopper 38 c that comes into abutment against the storage portion-side stopper 34 e. At the other end of the stored portion 38 is formed a fastening portion 38 d through which the fastening pin 34 g is passed to fasten the stored portion 38. The stored portion-side stopper 38 c has rectangular shape in cross section; the shape of the storage bay 34S is also of rectangular shape in cross section but slightly larger than the retracting portion-side stopper 38 c, so that the stored portion 38 will not turn as it moves through the storage bay 34S, thus preventing the linkage member 36 from becoming twisted over its entire length.

The vehicle body-supported end 39 is a member of disk shape having a support projection 39 a. As shown in FIG. 2, the support projection 39 a is pivotably supported on a fastening portion 12 a formed on the back face side of the fueling lid 12, by means of being press-fit into the fastening portion 12 a.

(4) Tether Mechanism 30 Attachment Procedure

To attach the tether mechanism 30, as shown in FIG. 6, the stored portion 38 of the linkage member 36 is stored in the storage bay 34S of the storage portion 34. At this time, the linkage member body 37 has been let out from the stowage opening 34 d. Next, the stowage cover 34 b is shut to close the upper opening of the storage portion 34. At this time, the fastening pin 34 g is passed through the fastening portion 38 d and inserted into the fastening hole 34 f to fasten one end of the stored portion 38 to the storage portion 34. Then, to attach the tether mechanism 30 to the fuel cap 20, the rotating ring 32 is press-fit into the ring attachment portion 25 as depicted in FIG. 3. At this time, since the section of the rotating ring 32 where the storage portion 34 is absent is narrow in width and easily stretched, the rotating ring can be installed in the ring attachment portion 25 by stretching it in this section. By so doing the stowage cover 34 b of the storage portion 34 will be restrained by the upper edge of the ring attachment portion 25, preventing it from opening.

(5) Fuel Cap 20 Opening and Closing Operation

Next, the opening and closing operation of the fuel cap 20 will be described. With the fuel cap 20 removed as depicted in FIG. 1, the fuel cap 20 is inserted into the inlet 16 a of a filler pipe 16 and turned two or three times to provide closure to the inlet 16 a. At this time, since the rotating ring 32 depicted in FIG. 3 is rotatable with respect to the cover 22, and since linkage member 36 stretches and contracts from the spring 38 a thereof in response to a low level of force when subjected to force by turning of the fuel cap 20, the opening and closing operation will not be hindered by the fuel cap 20. With the fuel cap 20 closing off the inlet 16 a, even if the spring 38 a is in the stretched state when the hand is taken off the fuel cap 20, the spring action of the spring 38 a will cause the connecting portion 38 b section of the stored portion 38 to retract and stow away in the storage portion 34.

Next, the operation to remove the fuel cap 20 will be described. When the fueling lid 12 is opened, the stored portion 38 of the linkage member 36 becomes extended in association with the opening operation of the fueling lid 12. Specifically, the rotating ring 32 is caused to turn while the linkage member 36 becomes extended due to the spring action afforded by the serpentine shape of the spring 38 a of the stored portion 38. While the fueling lid 12 is connected to the fuel cap 20 via the linkage member 36, it will not be subjected to force from the linkage member 36 at a level high enough to impair opening and closing, and the opening and closing operation can take place smoothly. When the hand is taken off the fuel cap 20, the spring 38 a of the linkage member 36 stretches due to the weight of the fuel cap 20, whereupon the cover 22 of the fuel cap 20 moves towards the vehicle exterior panel and becomes suspended at a location away from the vehicle body panel 10, in which condition fueling can take place. That is, during fueling, the fuel cap 20 can be positioned at a location away from the vehicle body panel 10, so as to not interfere with the fuel gun.

(6) Operation and Effect of the Embodiment

The preceding embodiment affords the following working effects.

(6)-1 During the operation to close the inlet 16 a by rotating the fuel cap 20, when the linkage member 36 is subjected to force in the lengthwise direction the rotating ring 32 rotates with respect to the cover 22, and the spring 38 a of the linkage member 36 undergoes stretching and contracting at a low level of force, so that the linkage member 36 does not impair the opening or closing operation of the fuel cap 20.

(6)-2 The storage portion 34 of the tether mechanism 30 is disposed on the rotating ring 32 which is rotatably supported on the outside edge of the fuel cap 20, and thus does not require a large space, and has a simple design.

(6)-3 When the fuel cap 20 is suspended from the fueling lid 12, the spring 38 a of the linkage member 36 will stretch under the weight of the fuel cap 20, and will hang down at a location away from the vehicle body panel 10, in which condition fueling can take place. That is, during fueling, the fuel cap 20 can be positioned at a location away from the vehicle body panel 10 so as to not interfere with the fuel gun, and so as to avoid the vehicle body panel 10 from becoming soiled by fuel on the casing 21.

(6)-4 The stored portion 38 of the linkage member 36 is extendably and retractably disposed in the storage portion 34 which is integrally formed with the rotating ring 32, and therefore the position at which the linkage member 36 is released from the storage portion 34 is not set, thus providing compatibility with various types of vehicles and exceptional versatility.

(6)-5 With the fuel cap 20 closing the inlet 16 a, the stored portion 38 of the linkage member 36 is kept stored in the storage bay 34S of the storage portion 34 through the spring action of the spring 38 a, and thus only a short section of the linkage member body 37 of the linkage member 36 remains exposed in proximity to the inlet 16 a, thus avoiding problems such as becoming caught in the fueling lid 12 as it is closed.

(6)-6 Due to abutment of the stored portion-side stopper 38 c against the storage portion-side stopper 34 e, the stored portion 38 of the linkage member 36 is restricted from being let out by more than a prescribed length from the storage bay 34S, and therefore the spring 38 a will not stretch excessively to the point of becoming damaged. Moreover, since the spring 38 a does not exit the storage bay 34S, it will not interfere with other components.

(6)-7 The stored portion 38 is formed with a non-circular cross section so as to restrict rotation thereof within the storage bay 34S, and thus the linkage member 36 will not become twisted or tangled, making it easier to handle.

(6)-8 The rotating ring 32 can be attached to the ring attachment portion 25 by elastic deformation of the arcuate section thereof where the storage portion 34 is absent, simplifying the assembly procedure.

(7) Other Embodiments

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described hereinabove, and can be reduced to practice in various other ways without departing from the spirit of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a tether mechanism 30B pertaining to a second embodiment. The embodiment features a different design for the stored portion 38B. Specifically, the stored portion 38B has a connecting portion 38Bb of cord shape with a circular cross section; and a stored portion-side stopper 38Bc of spherical shape that moves through the storage bay 34S and is detained by a storage portion-side stopper 34Be; a linking member body 37B is connected to one end of this stored portion-side stopper 38Bc. By means of this design, when force is applied to the linking member body 37B in the lengthwise direction, the stored portion-side stopper 38Bc of the stored portion 38B slides inside the storage bay 34S thereby changing the length of the section of the linking member body 37B exposed to the outside. Moreover, since the stored portion-side stopper 38Bc is of spherical shape, the linking member body 37B can rotate within the storage bay 34S, and twisting of the linking member body 37B can be eliminated.

In the first embodiment, a spring of serpentine shape was employed as the spring of the stored portion; however, the shape is not limited to this, and any shape capable of stretching and contraction, such as a coil spring, could be employed.

While the preceding embodiments described an arrangement whereby the vehicle body-supported end 39 of the linkage member is attached to the fueling lid 12, the attachment member is not limited thereto, and could be some other component situated on the vehicle body side in proximity to the inlet 16 a, such as the floor 11 a of the bay 11, provided that the component does not hinder the opening or closing operation of the fuel cap 20.

The foregoing detailed description of the invention has been provided for the purpose of explaining the principles of the invention and its practical application, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. The foregoing detailed description is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise embodiments disclosed. Modifications and equivalents will be apparent to practitioners skilled in this art and are encompassed within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 

1. A cap device equipped with a tether mechanism for linking a cap used to open and close a tank opening to a peripheral vehicle body member of the tank opening, wherein the tether mechanism comprises: a rotating ring that is rotatably attached to a ring attachment portion formed along an outer circumference of the cap; a storage portion that is formed on an outside portion of the rotating ring, and has a storage bay; and a linkage member that has (i) a cord-like flexible linkage member body with a first end and second end, (ii) a stored portion integrally formed at the first end and stored in the storage bay, and (iii) a vehicle body-supported end formed at the second end and connectable to the vehicle body member, wherein the stored portion is configured to pay out the linkage member body from the storage bay, when force is applied to the linkage member body in a lengthwise direction of the linkage member body.
 2. The cap device according to claim 1, wherein the stored portion includes (i) a spring stretchable and contractable within the storage bay by force in the lengthwise direction, and (ii) a fastening portion disposed at an end of the spring and fastened to the storage portion.
 3. The cap device according to claim 1, wherein the storage portion includes a storage portion-side stopper disposed on an inside wall of the storage bay, and the stored portion includes a stored portion-side stopper that comes into abutment against the storage portion-side stopper to restrict the stored portion from being released by more than a prescribed length from the storage bay.
 4. The cap device according to claim 3, wherein the stored portion includes (i) a spring stretchable and contractable within the storage bay by force in the lengthwise direction, and (ii) a fastening portion disposed at an end of the spring and fastened to the storage portion, the spring being configured to be disposed between the stored portion-side stopper and the fastening portion.
 5. The cap device according to claim 3, wherein the stored portion-side stopper is a spherical shape that is moved through the storage bay by force in the lengthwise direction.
 6. The cap device according to claim 1, wherein the stored portion is formed with a non-circular cross section so as to restrict rotation within the storage bay.
 7. The cap device according to claim 1, wherein the rotating ring includes an arcuate portion except the storage portion, the arcuate portion being configured to be attachable to the ring attachment portion by elastic deformation.
 8. A tether mechanism for linking a cap used to open and close a tank opening to a peripheral vehicle body member of the tank opening, the tether mechanism comprising: a rotating ring that is rotatably attached to a ring attachment portion formed along an outer circumference of the cap; a storage portion that is formed on an outside portion of the rotating ring, and has a storage bay; and a linkage member that has (i) a cord-like flexible linkage member body with a first end and second end, (ii) a stored portion integrally formed at the first end and stored in the storage bay, and (iii) a vehicle body-supported end formed at the second end and connectable to the vehicle body member, wherein the stored portion is configured to pay out the linkage member body from the storage bay, when force is applied to the linkage member body in a lengthwise direction of the linkage member body (37). 